"Lucien didn't inherit his title," Kieran finally said in a low voice, almost like he was whispering. "He… took it."
Emerald's stomach turned. She paused for a moment, sitting quietly as her mind went blank. "You're serious?"
"I wouldn't bring it up if I wasn't," Kieran replied. "It's not public knowledge, not exactly, but I've heard enough from trusted sources over the years."
"But how?" Emerald blinked. "There was no war, no rebellion. His name didn't even pop up in any uprising."
"That's the thing," Kieran said. "The Midnight Fang's borders are tight. You'd be hard-pressed to get a whisper past their wards, let alone full news. Anything that leaves is only what Lucien wants to leave. He controls the narrative… he has for years."
She sat in stunned silence, her fingers curling into the blanket on her lap.
Her thoughts drifted back to the way the pack members had looked at her. The little boy's voice echoed in her mind again. "Tyrant."
